Learn, create, and connect to the history of Santa Cruz County with downloadable lesson plans and virtual school tours from the MAH.
Available Lesson Plans
Get access to free, downloadable history lesson plans for grades 3rd-12th. Fill out the form below to receive instant access to ALL of the following resources. Continue to check back as we release new resources periodically.
*NEW* In These Uncertain Times: Time Capsules
2nd-5th Grade | This lesson invites students to participate, from home, in the MAH's exhibition In These Uncertain Times by creating a time capsule that will capture their shelter-in-place story through objects of their choosing.
Día de Los Muertos
6-12th Grade | Learn about Día de los Muertos, a prehispanic Indigenous tradition and celebration with engaging activities, craft tutorials, and discussion questions. This lesson plan is written in English y Español.
Louden Nelson: A Will to Educate
3rd-5th Grade | Learn about London Nelson and the lasting legacy he left behind in Santa Cruz County. By introducing assignments, discussions, and activities around slavery, you will gain a sense of empathy regarding Nelson’s life.
Community Builder: Journalists
3rd-5th Grade | Learn about people and places that made Santa Cruz County history and think about how journalists fit in to make change within the community.
Tombstone Tales from Evergreen Cemetery
3rd-8th Grade | Understand the large impacts early settlers had in shaping Santa Cruz County through interactive activities and discussions.
Pride & Identity: An Exploration of Queer Santa Cruz
6th-12th Grade | Get introduced to the MAH's virtual exhibition, Queer Santa Cruz, in a way that highlights the importance of having a visible and accepted identity in the Santa Cruz queer community.
Get the Lesson Plans
Fill out this brief form to receive instant access to all FIVE lesson plans sent directly to your email. Please email us at info@santacruzmah.org if you have any questions or concerns.
“I worked on the journalist lesson plan with two 3rd graders and it was awesome. We had a great conversation about the power of journalists and environmentalists (a new word for both kids!).”
Karah Ammann, Marine field ecologist at UCSC and a mom
We've gone virtual! Bring your class or home school network together online to connect with art and history digitally. Students will join Education Coordinator, Oscar Paz, via video chat to unpack Santa Cruz County’s history and discover how they too can build a more connected and meaningful community from home.
Join the MAH on Youtube with new educational videos. First up, join Oscar in the historic Evergreen Cemetery to learn more about the traditions and history of Día de los Muertos. Stay tuned for new releases coming soon!
In celebration of the MAH's new online educational resources, learn how one local teacher has adapted to meet the needs of her students, and prepare them to be thoughtful and engaged digital citizens.
Learn about the significance of cempazúchitl (marigolds) in celebrating Día de los Muertos and follow our step by step guide to making your own out of tissue paper at home.
Check out our September Community Craft Project to celebrate snail mail! Get more information on sending mail to loved ones and local firefighters as well as saving the post office and how to vote by mail.
Juneteenth is a celebration commemorating the ending of the enslavement of African Americans – learn more about this moment in history and how it is celebrated in Santa Cruz.
Consider making a gift or becoming a member to ensure a sustainable and resilient MAH. Your contribution directly supports these educational resources and connecting our community through these uncertain times.
